Clapboard-gage



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIeE.

HIRAM VAN DEUSEN, 0F PHELPS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND HIRAM ROCKE-` FELLER, OF CLIFTON SPRINGS, `NE\V YORK.

CLAPBOARD-GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. `526,386, dated December 6, 1859.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM VAN DEUSEN, of the town of Phelps, county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Gage for Fit-ting Clapboards for Nailing to Buildings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specifica-tion.

A of the drawing is a bar which is applied to the clapboard-edfre of the cornerboard, door or window caslngs of the building.

B, is an arm at right angles to the bar A, and to which it is immovably attached.

D is a slide, movable on the arm B and is held to the edge of the corner-board or casings opposite the clapboarding, by the cam E and actuating lever F.

L l1, are holes in the arm B for the purpose of adjusting the cam to the width of the corner board or casings.

H is a stop or abutment adjustable by means of the clamp screw c, and when the gage is being used is brought to the under edge of the last nailed clapboard, and so made to regulate the distance therefrom at which the lower edge of the succeeding board is to be iixed, the lower edge of such succeeding board being always placed and rested on the upper end of the bar A by which it is supported while being scribed for cutting, and while it is being nailed. This stop is kept from turning, by a tongue or tenon fitting a groove or slot 0n the back side of the bar A.

K is a flexible rule or straight-edge held and rendered adjustable by the clamp screw b. By the edge of this rule next the bar A the board to be fitted is scribed.

The several parts of the gage may be made of cast iron with the exception of the clamp screws which should be of wrought iron, and of the straight edge, which should be of steel.

The gage above described is one used at the right hand end of the clapboards as fitted to the building, and may be called a right hand one. A left hand one is used at the opposite end of the boards in all respects the while having to be held from falling forward by the hand of the workman.

By means of my gage several ofthe steps in the old process are avoided, and the work in other respects is greatly simplified and much facilitated.

The manner of using my gage is as `follows: The distance between the bar A and slide D being so regulated to the width of the corner-board or casings as that when the lever F is brought down, the slide D will be moved tightly against the casing, and the stop H being so adjusted as that the upper end of it and the upper end of thebar A shall b'e equal to the breadth of the clapboard to be exposed to the weather, and the bar-edge 0f the rule bei-ng brought into line with the side of the bar, the gageis applied to the corner board or casing, the stop is brought up to the lower edge of the board last nailed, and the gage then clamped fast by means of the cam. The board to be fitted is then let down on the back side of the rule or straight edge a-nd rested on the top of the bar A. The rule is then pressed against the board and the board scribed by the edge next the bar. The rule serves to hold the board from falling forward during the operation of scribing. y

W'hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- A gage for fitting clapboards for nailing, composed of the bar A, the arm B the slide D with the cam and lever by which it is actuated, the stop H, and the straight edge K or their equivalents, constructed and ary ranged, substantially as herein set forth. T-TTRAM VAN DEUSEN.

Witnesses WARREN L. BARTLE, HIEAM ROGKEEELLER. 

